Dendrelaphis, Boulenger, 1890

Weinell, Jeffrey L., Hooper, Errol, Leviton, Alan E. & Brown, Rafe M., 2019, Illustrated Key to the Snakes of the Philippines, Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences 66 (1), pp. 1-49 : 23

Dendrelaphis

Key to Philippine species.

1a. Dorsal body scales in 15 longitudinal rows at midbody; vertebral scales enlarged relative to other dorsal body scales...................................... Dendrelaphis marenae

1b. Dorsal body scales in 13 longitudinal rows at midbody; vertebral scales not enlarged relative to other dorsal body scales..................................................... 2

2a. Pale ventrolateral body stripe absent; black longitudinal dorsal body stripes absent........ 3

2b. Pale ventrolateral body stripe present; 2–8 black longitudinal dorsal stripes present (minimally) on posterior part of body.................................................... 4

3a. Yellow stripe present on neck (in life); endemic to Sulu Archipelago............................................................................ Dendrelaphis flavescens

3b. Yellow stripe absent from neck (in life); not known from Sulu Archipelago....................................................................... Dendrelaphis fuliginosus

4a. Number of black longitudinal stripes at midbody eight; known from Palawan, Balabac, and Busuanga Islands ............................................ Dendrelaphis levitoni

4b. Fewer than eight black longitudinal stripes at midbody; not from Palawan, Balabac, and Busuanga Islands ............................................................. 5

5a. Thin black stripe usually present along border of ventral scales and first row of dorsal body scales; second narrow black stripe may or may not be present on anterior one-fifth of body along border of second and third dorsal body scale rows; additional dark body stripes absent........................................................... Dendrelaphis philippinensis

5b. Distinct black stripe present along border of ventral scales and first longitudinal row of dorsal body scales, and along border of second and third dorsal body scale rows; additional distinct dark stripes present on posterior third of body, along border of fourth and fifth, and fifth and sixth dorsal body scale rows................................. Dendrelaphis luzonensis